alcohol – The Hilltop Monitor

Moonshine and V8s: how Prohibition made NASCAR

Matthew Parker — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 02:54:04 +0000

This article initially appeared in a print issue of the Monitor released Oct. 31, 2025.

For as long as cars have existed, there have been people trying to race them. The history of motorsports is long and storied on both sides of the Atlantic, with the Indianapolis 500 defining the very early days of American racing while Le Mans defined European racing. However, the best-known forms of motorsport on each side of the ocean only began in the post-war years. Formula One (F1) began with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) releasing an official rulebook (or “formula”) for competition in 1946, with the first proper F1 championship taking place in 1950.

No such easy development happened for NASCAR. Where the leading European racing series was built from a history of sports car racing events, the leading American series has its roots in criminal enterprise, smuggling and prohibition. What’s more, NASCAR celebrates this legacy, with a display case at their Hall of Fame containing a whiskey still built by NASCAR legend Junior Johnson. This is the story of how a Constitutional amendment, a few well-designed cars, and some small-town Southerners with a chip on their shoulder produced America’s most popular form of auto racing.

Prohibition

In 1919, the United States passed the 18^th Amendment to the Constitution, outlawing the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of” alcoholic beverages. The American temperance movement believed that a ban on the sale of alcohol would improve social relations and public health, and decades of pressure from temperance organizations such as the Anti-Saloon League finally pressured the government into passing the amendment.

With the 18th Amendment coming into effect at the very start of the Roaring Twenties, people across the US immediately started to find ways around the amendment, which proved highly unpopular. The demand for illegal alcohol produced a massively profitable black market. In the North, gangsters like Al Capone grew rich on alcohol smuggling, but the South proved a difficult market for large-scale organized crime to conquer. Instead, the South would find its own source of illicit alcohol in the form of the Moonshiners, and their exploits would become the stuff of legend across an entire region.

Moonshiners and their cars

With alcohol rendered illegal and serious federal effort put towards enforcement, small-time alcohol producers moved their businesses underground, producing whiskey and other spirits at small distillation facilities (or “stills”) under the cover of darkness. This illicit booze, or “moonshine,” would need to be distributed across the county or the state, and for that job the distillers enlisted the help of bootleggers. Often local country boys with plenty of mechanical experience, bootleggers would drive cars full of alcohol from the secret stills down to the towns where it could be quietly sold.

Arguably the most famous bootlegger turned racing star was Robert Glen “Junior” Johnson, who won 50 races as a driver and 132 races as a team owner. Back in 2005, he and his moonshining partner Willie Clay Call were interviewed by Hot Rod magazine, where they described their extensive collection of cars modified for bootlegging exploits. Among this collection were twenty 1940 V8 Ford Coupes, cars that were the backbone of both the late moonshine era and the early days of American stock car racing. Among the most capable small-frame cars of their era, they were sturdy, easy to modify, and most importantly, cheap.

Since bootleggers could easily collect pre-war cars, they could devote their time and resources to upgrading their fleets. The Ford coupe’s V8 engine had plenty of kick, but Johnson and other bootleggers would swap in the most powerful motors they could find, often taken from ambulances. The cars would have their extra seats removed, their floorboards lowered, and their suspensions reinforced, all to carry as much moonshine as possible. With every facet of their cars tuned for performance, and drivers who knew every turn of the country roads and every inch of their car’s abilities, the leading bootleggers made a mockery of the police. Many of them, including Junior Johnson, would view it as a badge of honor that they were never once caught while driving.

Organization and Legalization

National prohibition ended in 1933 with the 21^st Amendment, and those states that had their own prohibition laws gradually repealed and restricted them over the coming years. While whiskey-running remained a viable enterprise, especially as it evaded taxes, most moonshiners moved on from the business, and those that did found themselves with a pile of heavily modified and incredibly fast cars and not much to do with them. With no police cars to race against, many of them turned to the next best thing: racing each other.

Moonshiners had already been racing against one another since their inception, but after Prohibition, and especially after World War II, those races went from quiet back-alley affairs to public shows. The abundance of pre-modded cars already tuned for speed meant that racing was cheap and easy entertainment, and communities such as Wilkes County in North Carolina, the home of Junior Johnson, knew about and took pride in the exploits of their local moonshiners. Soon enough, they found themselves racing not for survival or liquor but for profit and bragging rights.

With auto racing booming, an engineer named Bill France seized on the opportunity to not only standardize these races but turn the sport into an empire. France, who ran the Daytona Beach circuit that hosted many of the early stock car races in the post-war era, would hold several meetings with other racing promoters, venue owners, and racers. The result of these meetings would be the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. Under the unified NASCAR banner, tracks and rules underwent standardization, and the scattered races attended by local bootleggers transformed into a legitimate sport.

Even after Bill France created NASCAR and defined the rules of stock car racing, the rebellious instincts that led the bootleggers to break the law in the first place led them to find every possible exploit in the rulebook. Junior Johnson once again led the charge on this front, with his most famous rule-breaker being the infamous “Banana Car”. NASCAR gave Johnson permission to effectively bring whatever car he wanted to help get Ford to return to NASCAR, and Johnson took full advantage, effectively custom-crafting a car from the ground up. The Banana Car would go on to lead for much of its only race before a mechanical failure ended its day, but Junior Johnson’s point was proven.

That same rule-breaking spirit has lived on into modern day NASCAR. Crew chiefs still work tirelessly to find minor rules that they can bend to their advantage, while NASCAR’s inspection process desperately tries to keep a crowd of unruly vagabonds in line. At its core, NASCAR remains a sport of bootleggers pushing their cars to the limit, and the sport’s willingness to celebrate its legally shadowed past is part of what makes it so fascinating.

Fern Bar: A new bar coming to Kansas City

Claire Henry — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 01:17:04 +0000

Photo courtesy of Claire Henry.

This summer, a new bar named “Fern Bar” will be coming to Downtown Kansas City. Fern Bar is an agave and sugarcane-centric bar. Although the bar is stil being renovated, it appears there is a strong sense of what the future business will be. On Fern Bar’s website, it states that the Fern Bar is “willing to create a culture of community and hope, to stand out, to stand up and say: There’s a better way to do things,” and driven through a team of world-class hospitalists, they are to be housed in an inviting and connected space This short introduction to the bar shows a dedication to its craft and an introduction to its mission. So far the company has established some branding principles, a logo, its future location at the Crossroads, and some possible menu items.

During the last week of March, Fern Bar held an early pop-up event in anticipation of its future opening. At this event, the business was able to showcase all the hard work that has been put into Fern Bar thus far. The pop-up contained a variety of drinks that were in the spirit of its agave-forward mission. The drinks I tried were the margarita and the Daiquiri. The margarita was made from Libélula tequila Joven, Tapatio Blanco, Duckett curacao, lime, and agave. The Daiquiri was made from Probitas blended rum, Gustoso Mexican rum, Uruapan Charanda Blanco, lime, and Demerara. These drinks were bright, refreshing, and thoroughly developed. They were also served in glasses that were visually alluring. Tacos Valentina, a local taco restaurant, and Casio Mccombs, a local DJ, were also present at the event. The event was held at Big Mood Natural Wines, a warm and eccentric wine store in the Crossroads. This was fitting as Fern Bar will be opening its upcoming location at 2045 Broadway Blvd in Downtown Kansas City.

Interacting with the owner of Fern Bar, Bryan Arri, at the event was insightful. He’s an enthusiastic individual passionate about great cocktails. He shared parts of his vision for Fern Bar at the event as well as expressed his thanks for those who came to support him and his new business. The event appeared to be successful. Personally, I enjoyed the food, drinks, and music that were present. Other people looked as if they were enjoying themselves as well. There was also a line extending through the door for the majority of the night. Although it is not yet known what exactly Fern Bar will look like, the spirit and community of Fern Bar seems supportive. Although there is no set date for when the bar will be opened, it is estimated for late summer of 2023. Until then, I will be looking forward to re-visiting!

Opinion: Happy Hour at the Perch

Agatha Echenique — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Happy Hour at the Perch poster from the William Jewell College Student Life Instagram.

Since December 2022, Student Life has hosted a monthly Happy Hour at the Perch, a coffee shop in the Yates-Gill College Union. This event is a nice opportunity for students, staff and faculty members to interact with each other in an informal setting. As non-alcoholic beverages are also served, the event is open to everyone, not just people over 21.

The last two Happy Hour events – hosted in February and January, respectively – had a greater variety of drinks than the first one. The first Happy Hour just had different kinds of beer. I’m not a huge fan of beer, so I was a little disappointed. However, the latest Happy Hours also had red and white wine. I am not a good judge of the quality of alcohol, so I will just say that I enjoyed my allotted two glasses of white wine.

The Happy Hours have also consistently had an assortment of snacks like chips, pretzels, popcorn and salsa. As one can get a little peckish while drinking and playing card games or mancala (both of which are available at Happy Hour), the snacks are a nice addition to the event. Plus, chips and pretzels are good replacement poker chips.

The Happy Hour event is a fun event. The last time I attended, I had a good time playing poker with several faculty and students. It is just a shame that the event does not occur more often.

Raise a Glass to Change

Kristen Agar — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 23:13:55 +0000

Over the summer, Student Senate and the administration made notable changes at William Jewell College. This is the first installment in a series of articles that will highlight these changes and the impact they will have on the campus.

One change implemented this year is the new alcohol policy. The old policy limited students 21 years of age and older to one 12-pack of beer, two bottles of wine or a fifth of hard liquor in their rooms, including empties. Alcohol consumption was prohibited in the presence of individuals who were not of age. According to Ernie Stufflebean, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life, the previous policy was six or seven years old, and that was the first time that alcohol was allowed on campus in any context.

The conversation introducing the possibility of this change began last academic year between the Office of Student Life and the 2016-2017 Student Senate cabinet.

“They had raised some really valid concerns just about the current alcohol policy, the way that policy was perceived by students and had raised some concerns about the policy itself,” said Stufflebean.

Luce-Virlynn Apollon, senior nursing and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry major, Student Senate Vice President and former Student Senate Treasurer, wanted to revise the policy because she saw a widespread negative attitude toward the campus alcohol policy.

“We noticed that there was student unhappiness, if you will. But also, that our alcohol policy [wasn’t] reflective of the real world. Especially with the new brand mission, ‘We are critical thinkers in community pursuing meaningful lives,’ we realized that our community on the Hilltop [wasn’t] reflective of the real world,” said Apollon.

After their initial discussions with Student Life, the Senate Cabinet requested student feedback in a campus-wide survey and researched other college’s alcohol policies. They formed the policy based on the results and their conversations with Student Life. The final policy draft was presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.

“The Board-level policy is basically just the outline. It’s what the Board of Trustees has to approve in order to minimize liability for the school, as well as making sure that there are proper policies in place for the institution. So essentially what’s encompassed in the Board-level policy is William Jewell College will follow the laws (federal, local, state), William Jewell College will not allow for the consumption of alcohol or drugs by persons who are younger than 21, as well as the fact that William Jewell College will allow for a culture shift by allowing integration of ages,” said Apollon.

The new policy, which went into effect Aug. 1, 2017, removed former restrictions and established new regulations. Among these are the ability of students who are of age to consume alcohol in the presence of students who are not 21 years of age and the removal of most limitations on the types and quantities of alcohol that a resident can keep.

“The focus [of the new policy] is on responsibility, not limitations,” said Stufflebean. “This was a point that Student Senate was trying to make is, is there an opportunity for students who are of age to drink, who are doing so responsibly, to role model that behavior for students who are younger who are not of age to drink?”

A-Approved student enjoys a beer.

Residence Life staff reflected on this increased responsibility. To encourage responsible consumption, there are still some restrictions. Alcohol that is 95 percent content or 180 proof is not permitted on campus at any time.

“The new policy has a lot more freedom, but I believe Jewell changed it because they believe their students can handle that,” said Grace Miller, senior psychology and Spanish major and Resident Assistant (RA).

The other change in the policy created spaces for consumption and allows organizations to have events where alcohol can be consumed. The policy defines spaces in four categories: private, semi-private, semi-public and public. A private space is a student’s room in the residence halls. Alcohol can be consumed in this location anytime provided that the student hosting the event is 21 years of age. Semi-private spaces are designated, marked spaces in upperclassmen housing, including fraternity houses, where alcohol can be consumed anytime, as long as it is in its original container or in a clear cup. Semi-public spaces include areas like the Shumaker Multipurpose Room and the Peters Theater lobby. Alcohol may only be consumed in these spaces at events that have been submitted and approved by the Office of Student Life. Public spaces are defined as all other areas on campus that do not fall into the prior categories. Events that are held in Yates-Gill Union or other pre-approved areas with a clear entrance/exit and defined boundaries can receive permission from Student Life to serve alcohol, but it is prohibited in all other public spaces at all other times.

Members of Residence Life staff and Student Life support these changes. Stufflebean emphasized that the new policy is focused on responsibility and responsible consumption, with peers holding peers accountable.

“Strictly from a policy enforcement standpoint, we embrace it because it makes enforcing the policy so much easier than it was in the past,” said Stufflebean.

Miller agreed.

“Honestly, as an RA, the new policy takes away a lot of the grunt work we had to do previously. There are not as many situations that could get an of-age person into trouble, so for us as RAs, that means there is less to worry about. We still want people being safe, but older students are now more in charge of their own actions and that helps our side of things,” said Miller.

In conjunction with the new policy, the Standard of Conduct Review Board was created. This committee will handle all student conduct violations with the exception of Honor Code charges, which the Honor Council addresses. The committee was designed to replicate the Honor Council. Students charged with conduct violations will go before a panel of five students and one faculty member, who will hear their case. For the student to be found in violation and be issued sanctions, a two-thirds vote is required.

“I think [the Standard of Conduct Review Board] will allow for a little bit more of standardization when it comes to issues of student conduct. … It allows for clarity and understanding what the outcomes of any committee hearings are going to be, as well as what impact it will have on the student. So you know going in these are the seven or eight outcomes that could potentially happen from this, and I know these are the only seven or eight outcomes that can happen from this,” said Apollon.

Over 40 students and 12 faculty have been trained to sit on this committee and will rotate through. Therefore, if a student on the panel has a conflict of interest with the student being charged, the committee member can choose to be replaced.

“I’m really excited to see how this is going to all play out. I think it’s a lot of good change, and I think Student Senate did a great job of making some very good arguments…We tried to develop something that was a good fit for us and what we’re trying to accomplish from a community standpoint, from a culture standpoint, from a point of education and responsible behavior and role modeling,” said Stufflebean.

Photos by Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe.